My Soccer Blog

Just my thoughts on all things Soccer.
"I guess I've never viewed soccer as some sort of controlled substance. To me, it's probably more like Nutella. The rest of the world clearly loves it and puts it on almost everything, but here in America we're like, "I don't know, man, it tastes like almonds."

Saturday, June 30, 2007

U-20 World Cup - US 1-1 South Korea - Poland shocks Brazil

The first round of Group D action is over and it had a massive surprise as Poland topped Brazil in their U-20 opener.

USA 1-1 South KoreaThese two teams played about as equal a match as possible as they each had 50% of possession, however the Koreans attempted seven additional shots. If the US is going to challenge, they, much like the senior team, will need to learn to take the shots and make the most of them.Goals: USA: Danny Szetela 16'S Korea: Young Rok Kim 38'

Poland 1-0 BrazilGrzegorz Krychowiak gave Poland an early lead when he blasted home a free kick, however the joy didn't last long when Krzysztof Krol was sent off four minutes later with a second yellow card. Brazil owned the ball for most of the match, but Poland was somehow able to hold on and take a full three points.Goals: Grzegorz Krychowiak 23'

Screams of 'Freedom' at Copa America

While the US men was busy with Argentina, something interesting happened in the stands. Just a little into the second half, a number of fans started chanting anti-Chavez slogans including 'Freedom' and 'This government is going to fall'.

In order to combat large anti-government protests, President Hugo Chavez banded protesting near games, airports, highways and hotels (ie anywhere people might see them) and also promising a crackdown on anyone who breaks these rules. Still, about half of the 40,000 people in the stadium chanted for about 3-minutes.

This has nothing much to do with soccer, but it is interesting to watch.

2007 Week 13 Predictions

Week 13 gives us a number of interesting MLS match-ups. We have the fight for Texas pride to decide first place in the West, the quest by the Crew to continue their good run and a chance for the Fire to finally get a win against a weak Rapids side. This weekend's action is not going to completely alter the framework of the season but it should seen us some messages about what is to come.

Houston Dynamo (7-5-1) vs. FC Dallas (8-6-1)Saturday - 6pm ET/3pm PTTV: Fox Soccer Channel (30 min pre and post), FSEWith most of their starting lineup back, can the Dynamo continue their excellent run of form? Will Dallas, with all their injuries, be able to mount a sustained attack? These two teams come in as two of the hottest in the league as Dallas has won three of their last four while Houston is riding a great five game winning streak. Houston seems to be finding their flow, at long last, while Dallas has a chaotic charm to them. Their ability to sneak in just enough to get what is needed is amazing. This one will probably come down to one mistake.Predictions: Me HD 1-1 FCD, Wife HD 0-1 FCD

New York Red Bulls (6-3-3) vs. Columbus Crew (3-4-6)Saturday - 8pm ET/5pm PTTV: HDNet, Direct KickInternet: MLStvWill the Red Bulls backline show up? Can the Crew shock their way to three in a row? There is no doubt that New York has scoring potential as they lead the league (along with NE) in goals scored, however their defense has done them in of late. If they have fixed that issue in the last two weeks, the Crew stands very little chance. Predictions: Me NY 2-1 CC, Wife NY 2-1 CC

New England Revolution (6-2-4) vs. Chivas USA (5-4-2)Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvWill the Revs of last weekend show up for this game or will it be the team from their previous three matches? Can Chivas keep their home fortress intact? NE has disappointed a few by failing to take it to teams at home over the last few weeks, but they finally found their abilities against the worst road team in MLS, Toronto FC. The goats, on the other hand are not that great but find ways of dominating at home. Something just happens to their defense in LA as they have only allowed one goal in five home matches. However, with regular goalkeeper Brad Guzan away at the Copa America, things might prove trickier on their own end. Predictions: Me NE 1-2 CV, Wife NE 0-1 CV

Colorado Rapids (4-6-3) vs. Chicago Fire (4-6-2)Sunday - 7pm ET/4pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvWill the Rapids be able to find anything to be proud about? If the Fire can't beat the Rapids, whom can they beat? Both these teams need a win and need it fast. Combined, they have lost seven of the eight games they played this month. The Rapids are just a spastic team that doesn't seem to be improving while the Fire can at least blame injuries for part of their woe. If irony was the rule, a tie would be in order, however I think a new coach will give Chicago a little something extra.Prediction: Me CR 0-2 CF, Wife CR 0-2 CF

Toronto FC (4-7-1) vs. Kansas City Wizards (6-4-2)Sunday - 8pm ET/5pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvCan TFC make something happen on the road? Will the Wizards finish balls? Toronto is not a road team, but Kansas City has had a recent problem with finishing chances. TFC has shown nothing that would suggest they could beat KC, but KC might do it for them. Just last week they outplayed Houston big time but the Dynamo walked out with a full three points. Still, the backline of Toronto is not as tough as Houston's so the Wizards should be able to get a few into the net.Prediction: Me TFC 0-2 KC, Wife TFC 1-1 KC

Thursday, June 28, 2007

2007 Copa America - Day 3 - USA 1-4 Argentina - Ouch

USA 1-4 Argentina

The US men have suffered their first loss since the World Cup and did it in a big way. The Nats looked all right during the first half but fell to pieces as the match went along. With very little support available off the bench, Argentina was able to just want the US out. This match reminded me a great deal of the friendly against Germany back in March of last year. In both games we went in with weak sides, played a decent first half and then fell apart just a bit after the hour mark.

Anyway, it was a bad night. Instead of doing a full player grade, I'll just point out the folks that I thought had at least an average or better night: Johnson, Mapp, Conrad. Others had some okay moments, but overall it really doesn't matter as it was a painful game to watch. That said, at least they didn't fall as bad as Colombia did against Paraguay. Then again, the US face Paraguay on Monday.

Paraguay 5-0 ColombiaThis one became an official sack beating late in the match as Paraguay got three goals in the final ten minutes. The first half was a snore in this one but then Paraguay took charge in the second. Colombia had a couple of chances but nothing to cause worry. The score is about equal to the play on the pitch.Goals:Paraguay: Roque Santa Cruz (1) 30', (2) 46', (3) 80', Cabanas (1) 85', (2) 88'

USA 1-1 Argentina - Half time

USA 1-1 ArgentinaHalftimeWho knows what the second 45 will bring but the first half was not that bad for the US. Johnson has had some dangerous moments and they are winning some balls in the midfield. Keller had a bit of a slip on Argentina's goal but made up for it later on stopping a Veron blast.

That said, the US is suffering from lack of possession and Argentina is showing no signs of frustration. If they don't start connecting on more passes and maintaining some control, they are going to be exhausted around the 80th minute. With the bench a little light on top-notch players, it might prove to be the US's undoing.

Thursday Night Soccer - Colorado vs. DC United

Colorado Rapids (4-6-3) vs. DC United (5-4-2)7pm ET/4pm PTTV: ESPN2

When last these two met, it was opening weekend and the Rapids surprised the MSL world by bringing down DC. Great things were predicted for Colorado because of that win but then came the next 11 weeks. Instead of riding high, the Rapids find themselves in a scoring and winning slump. They have lost four in a row and have only scored more then one goal in two of their 13 matches.

Meanwhile back in the nation's capital, United recovered from a horrible April to put together a strong two-month run that saw their defense pull together and the midfield finally start making things happen. With things better in the back, they got more chances up top and thus got more wins.

For this game I see DC taking advantage of the Rapids many open areas they like to leave around the field. This will give United the time they need to put together their passes and get some goals. However, they will give up a goal which can be dangerous against Colorado.

2007 Copa America - How does the USA beat Argentina?

USA - Argentina8:45pm ET/5:45pm PTTV: GolTV, Telefutura (Spanish)

The US will finally return to South America's big show tonight as they open up against the Copa favorites Argentina. If you pay attention to soccer you know the basic overview of this match. Argentina has their A+ side and is hungry to lift the trophy after 14 years without while the US decided to bring their 'less then best' squad. To say this one has all the makings of massacre is almost under rating the expected outcome.

But what fun is there in going with the tide when you can pull for the under dog. Yes, you will lose just about every time but then again if you win, then the heavens are with you. With that in mind, I took some time to think up ways that the US could win this match without an outbreak of food poisoning in the Argentine camp.

America has two chances in this game (and no, they are not slim and none). The first is the Argentina looks past the US and plays lazy, however with their best on the pitch and with Brazil's defeat at the hands of Mexico still on the front page, this one will be difficult to pull off. The other chance, Argentina does not know most of the opposition, thus they might not anticipate what the Nats will do. How this one goes is that the youngsters of the US are so inexperienced that they will react very different then expected in situations and Argentina will not know how to play them.

The common denominator in both of these situations is Argentina beating themselves because I really don't see a way the US will be able to do it alone (unless Keller turns into an absolute mad man in goal). Argentina's midfield is going to be packed with quality and will provide Feihaber and Clark with competition like they have never seen before. If the US isn't winning a good share of 50-50 balls in the middle, they have no chance.

Still the worst thing the red, white and blue could do is sit back and wait for it. Instead, they need to press forward as much as they can and get bodies in the box. They will probably only have a handful of chances in this match so they need to make them count (just ask Mexico).

If there is one good piece of news for the US it is that they really shouldn't feel that much pressure as expectations are so low. Hopefully this will help Johnson, Twellman or whomever is up top relax and actually show something, while Mapp would feel free to open it up down the side. Also, this is a great game in which to get noticed. If you can prove yourself in this situation not only will you get more national caps but also you might catch the eye of a European suitor.

In the end it would be the greatest of upsets if the Blue and White did not walk out with three points.

Benelux wants 2018 World Cup

The open race for the 2018 World Cup has another pony as the Benelux countries have declared their intention to play host to the finals. Now just incase you are having trouble recalling the Benelux countries they are Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg and have had a parliament for over 50 years.

The most interesting thing about this announcement is that they are not going it as a joint venture; instead they are doing it as "one entity, one political entity with a common economic base." Does this mean that they all will host it but do will supply a joint Benelux team or will all three nations agree to not have a host nation spot automatically granted to them and, instead, go through full qualifying? Or maybe the three teams will play some tournament to decide who gets the host spot while the other two have to go through qualifying.

Benelux joins the USA, Australia, England and others hoping to get the finals. Unless FIFA makes an announcement soon regarding their rotation policy, expect a few more nations to get in on the speculation fun.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

2007 Copa America - Day 2

The first day of Copa America saw a bit of a shock when Peru did in Uruguay, but day two saw the stakes raised as Mexico walked in and stopped Brazil's samba before it really had a chance to get started. This match alone was enough to see why the tournament is so beloved. Now the question becomes will the upsets continue in day three?

Chile 3-2 EcuadorIt is nice to know the US is not the only team that can't kill off teams. Ecuador had at least three great chances that should have resulted in additional goals, but instead they walked away with nothing. Ecuador was living large for most of the match but as the second half rolled on, Chile continued to pressure. All the attacked paid off as they owned the final ten minutes.Goals: Ecuador: Antonio Valencia (1) 16', Christian Benitez (1) 23'Humberto Suazo (1) 21', (2) 80', Carlos Villanueva (1) 87'

Mexico 2-0 BrazilCould this match have saved Hugo Sanchez's job? Brazil controlled so much of the possession but seemed to think the yellow jerseys alone would take the night. Mexico did get a break early on as Diego's goal was called back due to a poor offside call. But El Tri made a lot of their few first half chances and at the break was on top by two. Brazil came out more aggressive in the second half however Mexico still owned the midfield till a little after the hour mark. The next thirty minutes saw the Samba boys finally realize they were in a match but Mexico was able to make the saves on defense including a fantastic save off the line. As great as that was, Nery Castillo had two wonderful chances to put the game away but he made the wrong choices both time. However, it was not needed and Mexico has pulled off the biggest of surprises.Goals:Mexico: Nery Castillo (1) 24', Ramon Morales (1) 29'

2007 U-20 World Cup Schedule

The three-week U-20 tournament kicks off this Saturday, when 24 nations will compete to see who is the best in the under-20 world. There are six groups of 4. The top two of each group will advance, as will the four best third place teams.

As far as TV viewing, I've tried to get all the information correct but it is a bit scattered. ESPNU (U) and ESPN360 (360) have all of these games, except for the final, however are only available in a few markets in the US. The final will air on ESPN2. Fox Sports en Espanol (FSE) as well as Galavision (G) and TeleFutura (T) will offer Spanish coverage of most of the games, however a number of the FSE games will be tape delayed.

Here is the full schedule. All time Eastern (UTC -5 hours) TV coverage key:

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

2007 US Open Cup Second Round results

The second round of America's great cup has come to an end with very few surprises as the higher division team in each match came out the winner. The other major factor was home field as only two visitor won on the night. However, the Western Mass Pioneers almost broke both of these rules as they took the Rochester Rhinos to the edge over overtime before falling 2-1. Also, the Minnesota Thunder - California Victory game got a bit out of hand as four players were sent off with red cards.

So all PDL and USASA teams are out. The only USL Second Division teams left are the Harrisburg City Islanders and Richmond Kickers.

2007 Copa America - Day 1

Copa America Day 1 is over and done and what a surprise in the first match. Perhaps a few more shocks, but of a bigger variety, could still happen in the first round.

Peru 3-0 UruguayLittle Peru topped the heavy group favorites Uruguay in an excellent match. This is the type of game soccer lovers enjoy viewing as it was an open attacking event. Peru was up 1-0 at the half and Uruguay came out in the second wanting to equalize fast, but Peru's keeper was there when needed. Uruguay kept pushing forward but over reached and left themselves open to quick counter attacks. This lead to the second goal, which was a piece of art, that flew from the right corner of the box into the net. The pressure was on the favorites and they were going for everything but Peru was not only able to hold but also score one more to finish it all off.Goals: Peru: Miguel Angel Villalta (1) 26', Juan Carlos Marino (1) 68', José Paolo Guerrero (1) 88'

Venezuela 2-2 BoliviaFor DC United fans, it must have been enjoyable to watch this one as Jaime Moreno put on a wonderful show. He was causing pain for Venezuela and taking the game to their end yet someone the host nation made things happen against the run of play. Bolivia repeatedly put good balls into the area or at the net but they either were cleared or went off target while Venezuela used their limited chances wisely. There are huge gaps in the Bolivian backline and they were exploited tonight. Goals: Venezuela: Giancarlo Maldonado (1) 20', Ricardo David Páez (1) 55'Bolivia: Jaime Moreno (1) 38', Juan Carlos Arce (1) 83'

2007 MLS Week 12 Power Ratings

Week 12 saw a number of the teams at the top stumble while one side in the West burst through. The East still looks to be the strong of the two conferences but Houston is starting to challenge the notion that none of the best rest in the West. Anyway, here is the power of the league as I see it 12 weeks into the season.

1. New York Red Bull (Last week - 2) -The Bulls had the week off and Angel still managed to score a goal.

2. Houston Dynamo (6) - Sad is the team that gives the Dynamo an inch because they will make something of it. The passes are connecting, the defense is standing strong and the goals have arrived, but will the return of their regular starters actually hurt this side?

3. DC United (3) - United just can't seem to win in Salt Lake. They unvalued their competition and it bite them. Still, their improvement in the second 45 showed more of the team from the past few weeks, so this might just be a bump.

4. Kansas City Wizards (1) - First a road loss to Columbus, then a home defeat at the hands of the Dynamo. Bad week and way you look at it, but the worse news of all is that they owned the Houston match but still came away with nothing. The question of offensive strength is starting to pop up again.

5. New England Revolution (5) - What a way to destroy Toronto but best of all they did it by better work on defense and a nice outing by Reis. If these two things are back, New England will have made it out of their slump.

6. FC Dallas (7) - Even playing without much of anything anywhere, they were able to get points out of Colorado. Ruiz does seem more into things so maybe there are better things to come but not every team is just going to fall over like the Rapids.

7. Toronto FC (4) - This club can only make it happen at home which will make the next month feel extremely long (they don't play a home MLS match again till 29 July). If they can't pull something together on the road, they will be a shell of a team by the time they return to BMO.

8. Columbus Crew (10) - I don't know what Sigi is giving his guys but it is finally starting to pay off. The offense is looking threatening and the midfield is coming together but their defense is still very loose. Tighten up a bit and they might just make a run at the playoffs.

9. Chivas USA (8) - Last week I wondered if I was placing Chivas to low on the list but noted that they take too long to make things happen and that they stink on the road. Sure enough both of these items came into play against Houston. They had a couple good chances but just knocked them away. Could Chivas be the Western Conference's Toronto?

10. Colorado Rapids (9) - It is only due to the poor play of others that the Rapids are not at the bottom. Quick summary, they stink. They have no offense and suffer from a severe lack of creativity on the pitch. The worst news is they don't seem to be making trades to improve their situation.

11. Real Salt Lake (13) - It is amazing what a win can do for a club. Their attack was looking sharper but they still suffered from their post-85th minute problem of letting the opposition score. If they can't close that gap, it is going to be a long time till they get another win.

12. Chicago Fire (11) - In memory of former coach Dave Sarachan, the Fire had the week off and only suffered three injuries in the process.

13. Los Angeles Galaxy (12) - Even with all the chances one could ask for, LA can't make things happen. The slight improvement from the previous week was erased by sloppy play and poor communication. Still, they got their wish and Donovan is not going to the Copa, but will it be anywhere near enough to turn things around?

Monday, June 25, 2007

2007 Week 12 recap or Real Salt Lake actually won a game!

The goals and attendance numbers did not hold up from week 11, however week 12 gave us the third week of play without any ties. Also, the West won the week in inter-conference play for only the second time this year while visitors almost managed to win three of the seven games. Finally, with Real's defeat of DC, every MLS team has at least one win.

Here is the league by numbers 79 games into the season:

Season

Week 12

Attendance

1,201,677

95,199

Att per game

15,211

13,600

Goals

219

20

Goals per game

2.772

2.857

Inter-conference

East 13-9-8

West 2-1-0

Visitors

22-39-18

3-4-0

Ties

18 (22.8%)

0 (0.0%)

Toronto FC 0-3 New England RevolutionToronto continued their poor run of form on the road as the Revolution beat TFC big. But it was not all bad news for the Canadians as Jeff Cunningham was looking better. The Revs looked more like the team of old (ie 3 weeks ago) while Matt Reis had a great game between the posts.Goals: NE: Andy Dorman (4) 13', (5) 81', Pat Noonan (2) 33'

FC Dallas 1-0 Colorado RapidsCarlos Ruiz showed his talent on the night but could not finish his chances. Meanwhile, the Rapids continue to look like a team a drift. Their passes were nothing and it seems like they hope Herculez Gomez alone will carry their offense. Dario Sala had a couple good saves for FCD.Goal: FCD Juan Toja (4) 62'

DC United 1-2 Real Salt LakeReal Salt Lake owned the midfield for much of the first hour and new hire Robbie Findley made the most of it. He kept finding ways of beating the DC backline and putting himself where needed. United got a beating in Real for the second time in two years.Goals: RSL: Robbie Findley (3) 41', (4) 50'DC: Luciano Emilio (6) 87'

Columbus Crew 3-2 LA GalaxyIs the Crew on a roll? Seven points from three matches is fantastic. The fact that they earned the final three points while playing a man down for an hour is even better. The defeat sticks LA in an even worse hole, however the work of Xavier is looking better, but there is no way you can spin this as anything but more bad times.Goals: CC: Chad Marshall (2) 15', Ned Grabavoy (3) 58', Alejandro Moreno (3) 84'LA: Gavin Glinton (1) 66', Edson Buddle (2) 91+'

Houston Dynamo 1-0 KC WizardsTalk about a team making something of nothing, Houston got run everywhere on that pitch but still came out ahead. The lone goal by defender Patrick Ianni was very much against the run of play, but thanks to the help of Pat Onstad in goal, it was enough. The Wizards put together some amazing passing and attacks, but they got nothing from it.Goal: Patrick Ianni (1)

Sunday, June 24, 2007

US 2-1 Mexico - US comes from behind to take Gold and Player Grades

USA 2-1 MexicoThe US men came back from a halftime deficit to win the Gold Cup making it the first time since 1934 that America came from behind to beat Mexico. The story of this game is really a story of two halves as the US kept getting schooled in the first half but flipped the tables in the second. Perhaps the best reason for this change was the work of Ricardo Clark in the second 45. He brought some great passing and forced the team forward. This change forced Mexico to start attacks from deep in their own side causing fewer chances for El Tri. Where as Mexico threatened again and again in the first half, the second saw only scattered offensive sparks.

As happy as this moment is for the US, there is still the matter of failing to finish. There were at least three more fantastic opportunities for the Nats that they failed to connect. Had any of those found the net, the match would have been much less exciting in the final few moments. That said, Mexico made next to nothing of the many chances they could have had. Only 1 of 10 corner kicks resulted in something really scary and twice the ball went right in front of the goal face with no one getting to it.

Player GradesStarting XITim Howard (GK) - He came up with some wonderful saves and helped guide his backline. AJonathan Spector (D) - Spector was out matched on the day and was run ragged by Guardado. Hope his head is doing better. C Oguchi Onyewu (D) - The Gooch did well in the center but when he went to cover out wide, he was caught off. He used his size well but his speed, or lack there of, almost caused some big pain. B+Carlos Bocanegra (D) - Go Carlos Go. He kept popping up everywhere he was needed. His cover kept the shortcomings of Spector and Bornstein less painful. AJonathan Bornstein (D) - At the start of the match things looked real bad along the side but as the pressure fell on the back, Bornstein recovered and started interrupting. Still, he got stripped to start the Mexican attack that finished with a goal. C+Clint Dempsey (M/F) - Dempsey silently worked his way into space and played some good in balls but he was looking frustrated as time went by. Don't know if he was just tired or if Bradley's chances were not to his liking but it was a poor end to a good tournament. BBenny Feilhaber (M) - That goal alone is enough to get him a good mark, however much of the rest of his match was not so wonderful. He did work better with Clark then Mastroeni. B+ Pablo Mastroeni (M) - He did not assert himself and had bad first touch. C+DaMarcus Beasley (M) - Seems like a number of people didn't think he had that great of a match but I thought he did a good jump of being where needed to his passes were some of the best (especially early in the match). B+Brian Ching (F) - The proof that soccer is not a fair is seen in Brian's lack of a goal in this match. He had great ball control and forced his way around players. He is still not McBride quality but unlike more of the US's forwards, he is not afraid to attack. A-Landon Donovan (F/M) - I didn't think his first half was that great but in the second he turned it around. Started placing the balls were they needed to go and making those wonderful runs. A-

SubsRicardo Clark (M) - On for Mastroeni in the 46'. Mexico didn't know how to react to Clark. The Red, White and Blue started slipping behind them because of the work of Clark, plus he managed to track back on defense. Mexico could not get themselves together due in large part his work. ATaylor Twellman (F) - On for Dempsey in the 69'. Taylor pushed harder in this outing but he acted more as a supplier then an attacker. B-Frank Simek (D) - On for Spector in the 72'. He held up his side alright thanks to Mexico looking a little tired in the final 20-minutes. Nothing fantastic, nothing horrible. B-

This game will go down as a classic between the two nations and was a wonderful ending to the 2007 Gold Cup.

The win gives the US the wonderful reward of a 2009 berth into the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Not only will this give the Nats a number of difficult challenges in the various World Cup stadiums a year ahead of the finals but it will also provide them with a generous financial windfall.

Friday, June 22, 2007

2007 MLS Week 12 Predictions

So far week 12 has kept the scoring trend of week 11 alive with 7 goals produced from the first 2 matches. Will this continue or will the specter of the hated 0-0 tie return? We will see, but the good news is none of these games happen at the same moment as the Gold Cup final. Anyway, here are the predictions:

Toronto FC (4-6-1) vs. New England Revolution (5-2-4)Saturday 7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvCan Toronto open a long road trip with the same intensity they show at home? Will the Revs recover from back-to-back weak ties? The big T's come into town as one of the hottest teams in MLS but they have yet to prove themselves on the road. Meanwhile the Revs are doing a great job of not finishing teams off (sounds a little like Team America). This one could get spicy with overtones of the US-Canada match still fresh on folks minds.Predictions: Me TFC 1-2 NE, Wife TFC 0-1 NE

FC Dallas (7-6-1) vs. Colorado Rapids (4-5-3)Saturday 9:00pm ET/ 6pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvWill Ruiz be enough to inspire the FCD offense? Can Colorado get any points in the month of June? Dallas is lacking a lot up top at the moment while the Rapids are just lacking. So far this season, Colorado has only scored more then one goal in two of their 12 matches, but with Dallas still suffering from the decade long defensive problems, they should have a couple chances to change that on Saturday. FCD will need a great showing out of Ruiz and some help from others if they want to kick the Rapids while they are down.Predictions: Me FCD 1-1 CR, Wife FCD 2-1 CR

DC United (5-3-2) vs. Real Salt Lake (0-5-6)Saturday 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PTTV: Fox Soccer Channel (30 minute pre & post shows), FSECan DC get some more points before the Copa takes so many away? Can Real really go three months without a win in MLS play? United are coming together like so many of us thought they would at the start of the season. Their midfield is starting to be feared and their wing play is dangerous. Real, on the other hand, is actually coming more unstuck with every match. They will need to play a near perfect match to get something out of this, but it could happen. Last year Real knocked DC for a loss just a bit before the All-Star game, can it happen again?Prediction: Me DC 3-1 RSL, Wife DC 2-1 RSL

Columbus Crew (2-4-6) vs. LA Galaxy (2-4-3)Saturday 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PTTV: HDNet, Direct KickInternet: MLStvCan the Crew spring themselves from the basement of the East? Will LA continue score more then one goal in two consecutive matches? The strangest thing about this game is that both teams enter on a winning streak. Granted the streak is exactly one game for both sides, but it is still a streak. Columbus has looked reborn over their last two outings and is not beating themselves. The Galaxy are making big chances which means the players don't really know each other, but then again, neither does the opposition. LA is willing to give up some of their back to push forward and that should pay off against Columbus.Predictions: Me CC 1-2 LA, Wife CC 1-3 LA

Houston Dynamo (6-5-1) vs. KC Wizards (6-3-2)Sunday 5pm ET/2pm PTTV: TeleFuturaCan Houston make it five in a row? If KC can't beat Columbus how will the knock off a hot Houston side? The Houston bench has been fantastic, but will that chance with the return of the Canadian duo (that is if they actually see action on Saturday)? The goals that once were so far away from the club (they scored 5 in their first 8) now can knock anything in from anywhere (10 goals in their last 4). To stop this, KC will need to step up their defense in a major way. The good news for the Wizards, they normally do that at home. Prediction: Me HD 2-2 KC, Wife HD 1-0 KC

Thursday, June 21, 2007

US 2-1 Canada, the US sneaks into the final and Player Grades

US 2-1 CanadaThe Nats continued their trend of dominating matches but not finishing chances. They actually came out strong at the start of both halves but did very little with it. Their midfield was beating Canada to the punch (great job tying up DeGuzman and preventing him from started the offense) and their defense was holding the line but up top, it was not a pretty night. Perfect summation of this was Donovan's whiff of the open shot in the box.

The other position that looked a bit weak was Keller in goal. I don't know if it was the couple earlier knocks he took but there was mass communication failure and odd choices being made by Kasey.

So what about that last play of the game? Two things. First, it hit off Onyewu so it should not have been offside. Second, it was past the four-minute mark so it should never have happened in the first place. Both of these were bad calls by the ref. Sadly, these were not the only two bad (or missed) calls during the game.

The US played the better soccer for about 75-minutes of the match but Canada was more threatening during their brief time in control.

Goals: US - Hejduk (1) 39', Donovan (3) pk 45'Canada - Hume (1) 76'

Here are the player grades:Starting XIKeller (GK) - Like I said above, he was not communicating and made some odd decision on when to come off his line. The worst I've ever seen him in a national jersey. CHejduk (D) - Was running all over the place and controlling DeRosario better then most. Made some good passes but got an undeserved yellow card so will sit out the final. B+Onyewu (D) - The Gooch was everywhere in the back. He finally had a game where he covered and controlled without over doing it and picking up a dumb card. Was the man that stopped so much. ABocanegra (D) - He made Canadian players disappear. Had some smart runs forward as well. A-Bornstein (D) - The back that had the least to do on the night. He kind of stayed on his marks and disrupted a few passes, but was not really a key. There was a lot that could have been exploited but thankfully was not. B-Donovan (M) - Landon created some chances but everyone time he had the chance, he flushed it away. Also, either his passing was very off or lots of folks were not making their runs. Still, he was not afraid to get in the box. BBradley (M) - He was having an amazing night (like man of the match night) until the stupid red card. As great as the 88 minutes were prior to that foul, his grade takes a big hit for putting his side in such a bad spot. C+Mastroneni (M) - He was playing the backup to Bradley, so when Michael missed the chance to take the ball, Mastroneni was there to capture. He did look tired towards the end. B+Beasley (M) - He was trying to ignite down and did look dangerous when in the area but too often he sent the ball wide, be it by shot or pass. BDempsey (F) - Clint tried to be the creative man in the middle but the ball always seemed to get away from him on the second touch. Did not push as much in front of goal as he has but stilled controlled balls. B+Johnson (F) - How can he have so little fire on the international stage? If he wasn't pushing too much and getting offside, he pushed none at all. The one good thing, he does manage to get two defenders on him whenever he touches the ball, however with little support, he can't do much with it. C

SubsFeilhaber (M) - On for Johnson in the 80th. Canada was building but when Benny came in, he threw a wrench in it until Bradley got the red card. B+Taylor Twellman (F) - On for Dempsey in the 88th. He wasn't on long but he tried to give the team some time by taking the balls he got into the corner. Gentleman’s BRicardo Clark (M) - On for Mastroeni in the 89th. I'm not sure he touched the ball once so I can't really give him a grad. N/A

The team now gets ready for Mexico on Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

Mexico 1-0 GuadeloupeMexico was able to finely control a match and they still almost got beat. El Tri had their best outing of the whole Gold Cup and should go into the final feeling much better then they would have on Sunday. For Guadeloupe, it was a fantastic evening for goalkeeper Franck Grandel as he stopped a number of good chances from Mexico. So this means that both teams in the final have trouble finishing their chances. Should make for an interesting game.Goal: Pardo (1) 70'

USA-Canada Starting lineups

The linups are out and they are interesting.

USAGK: KellerD: Hejduk, Onyewu, Bocanegra, BornsteinM: Donovan, Bradley, Mastroneni, BeasleyF: Dempsey, JohnsonKeller gets his 100th cap with this one. Donovan will play behind Dempsy and Johnson. The new lineup pushes Donovan back to the right side on midfield and puts Dempsey behind Johnson. Backline is much the same.

CanadaGK: OnstadD: Stalteri, Hainault, Hastings, JazicM: Bernier, Hutchinson, Nash, DeGuzmanF: DeRosario, GerbaI think that some of those midfielders might be listed incorrectly (ie, how they were posted on the Canadian roster), but that is what the list is currently saying. Here is the real lineup, although it would have been fun to see Gerba on defense. This is the same XI that beat Guatemala.

Thursday Night Soccer - Chivas vs. Houston

Chivas USA (5-3-2) vs. Houston Dynamo (5-5-1)9:00pm ET/ 6pm PTTV: ESPN 2Two weeks ago I said that the MLS Thursday night match was the worst schedule match ever, turns out I was wrong. This match now gets the title as it will start at the end of the US-Canada meeting (unless that one goes into overtime) and just an hour before the Mexico-Guadalupe game. Yes, Houston will have four big screens on which to watch the game, but really, how bad can something be planned.

Anyway, Chivas come to Houston looking to actually make something happen on the road while the Dynamo are riding a big three game winning streak that has taken them to third in the West. The great news for Houston is they have been doing this on the backs of new guys. As long as Houston doesn't give the goats a couple dozen chances, they should be okay. Predictions: Me CV 0-2 HD, Wife CV 1-2 HD

Gold Cup Semifinals Preview and Predictions

And then there were four. It has come down to the regular couple, an upstart and an 'out-of nowhere' side to decide our confederation's championship. Will tonight end with the expected advancing or will a new path be paved?

Oh Canada, can you stop the mighty US? The Maple Leafs looked strong against Guatemala on Saturday because they know how to open up space and no one seems afraid of taking a shot. For the US to counter this wind from the North they will need to first and foremost shutdown Julian De Guzman. He is their control man in the middle who plays a huge role in their attacks. If he is given time, he will find Dewayne De Rosario and Ali Gerba and then it will all come down to the Nats backline.

One big weakness on the Canadian side is their poor first touches. If the US acts fast and play close, they should be able to poke more then a few of them away, stopping any pressure before it has a chance to become dangerous.

Against Panama, the USA was able to do a great job of maintaining possession of the ball and they will need to do the same tonight, however it will really come down to finishing. The number of chances Panama gave the US to put the game away was ridiculous. Canada will not be so generous. Donovan, Dempsey and whoever else will need to get it on frame.

Canada is a much-improved squad, but the US is still stronger at every position, so it is their game to loose. On a side note, I wonder if the team comes out flat again at the start of the second half. It seems that the first 10-minutes of the second half were some of the best under Arena but have been some of the worst under Bradley.

The Mexican fans were cheering for Guadalupe on Sunday against Honduras but that joy might just come back and bite them tonight. Mexico played poorly against a 10-man Costa Rica side for over 45-minutes, but was able to get a goal in overtime to move on. The odd thing was even when two additional players were sent off for Costa Rica, Mexico could not dominate. The reason, they are slow up top, a muddle in the middle and weak on defense. All of these things allow opponents to sneak in and get some great chances, it just takes a little patience and if there is something Guadalupe has in large amount, it is patience.

Don't get me wrong, El Tri has enough talent to win this match and are nowhere near being underdogs, but they have been weak the whole Gold Cup and a Cinderella team might be all that is needed to knock them out.Predictions: Me Guadalupe 1-2 Mexico, Wife Guadalupe 0-1 Mexico

Tom Cruise wants to buy the LA Galaxy

Tom Cruise wants to buy the LA Galaxy for $79.6 million. It seems Cruise is a huge soccer fan and wants to be involved with friend David Beckham's new club.

No official word yet however one article quotes a source as saying, "To have Tom's backing would be amazing - there's no way Galaxy bosses would turn down that opportunity."

Is it just me or is the team from LA getting wackier and wackier by the day. Still, this might be the good kind of wacky because it would assure some major news coverage, although it might mainly be tabloid news. Still, there really is no bad publicity, I guess.

If this does happen, that would bring the total number of owners of MLS teams to 11 of 13. It would also mean that no single owner has two clubs in the same conference.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

2007 MLS Mid-Week 12 Prediction

Kansas City Wizards (6-2-2) vs. Columbus Crew (1-4-6)7:30pm ET/4:30pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvCan Kansas City continue to develop their Eddie Johnson free offense? Will the Crew build on their great second half from Saturday night? The Wizards come to town looking for a win to retake the top spot in the East. Their last three matches have been against New England and New York (twice) and they managed to get 7 points from them, so they are looking alright. Coach Curt Onalfo toyed with a 3-4-3 setup in the second half against New York and it paid off, but the Crew had a breakout second half of their own over the weekend. The Wizards should have a number of chances in Columbus but if they relax, the Crew will make something of it. By the way, if KC get three points, Onalfo will coach the MLS All-Star team against Celtic FC (the coach of the team with the best points per game after this Sunday will get the honor). Predictions: Me KC 2-1 CC, Wife KC 1-1 CC

Copa America - No protesting where people will see you

Venezuela has outlawed protesting near stadiums, airports, highways or hotels during Copa America which starts next Tuesday (26 June).

Justice Minister Pedro Carreno said Tuesday that "all the protests staged near stadiums, airports, highways and hotels are not permitted, and the state's security forces will have act diligently to break them up."

This move is to prevent opponents of President Hugo Chavez from disrupting the tournament, but it could pave the way for a very disturbing backdrop. If the opposition decides to go ahead and stage mass protests across the country and the Chavez government does confront them, it will get mighty violent, mighty fast and at some point FIFA will have to decide if continuing the tournament is appropriate.

With the increase media that will be in country to cover the games, the world will be watching, so it will also be interesting to see if reporters are kept on a short leash or not.

More on St. Louis MLS expansion

The City of Collinsville, Illinois, is still very interested in becoming home to a St. Louis MLS club as they continue to discuss issues with possible owners.

"Discussions are taking place. Issues are being resolved. Progress is being made," said Collinsville City Administrator Bob Knabel on Tuesday.

It would appear that while all the expansion talk has focused on San Jose, Las Vegas and Portland/Seattle, the St. Louis group has been slowly trying to put together a plan. There has been very little information released, however all signs point to building a stadium near Interstate 255, on Horseshoe Lake Road.

A petition effort has popped up at soccer fields near this location supporting the effort to bring a professional team to the area, but no one knows how many signatures have been obtained.

2007 MLS Attendance numbers updated - Part 2

It has been about three weeks since I looked at the 2007 MLS attendance numbers so I thought, 'why not revisit them.' So far this year 1,106,478 fans have attended games for an average of 15,368 per match. Anyway, here are the numbers by team:

Home Attendance

Team

HG

Total

Avg

Best vs

Worst vs

HR

LA

5

113,605

22,721

27,000 CV 4/28

19,225 RSL 6/17

2-2-1

TFC

7

139,918

19,988

20,195 CR 6/02

19,123 HD 5/16

4-3-0

DC

6

105,838

17,640

22,358 KC 4/14

12,908 NE 5/03

4-1-1

RSL

5

80,075

16,015

18,678 FCD 4/07

14,173 CR 4/30

0-2-3

NE

5

79,444

15,889

22,412 CC 6/16

9,508 CF 5/06

2-1-2

FCD

5

74,968

14,994

20,500 CR 4/22

9,165 NE 4/29

3-2-0

HD

6

89,763

14,961

18,232 NE 5/19

12,017 CR 6/07

3-2-1

CR

6

87,408

14,568

18,458 LA 5/26

10,719 HD 5/05

2-1-3

CV

5

71,850

14,370

27,000 LA 4/28

8,756 FCD 5/26

4-0-1

CF

6

82,752

13,792

20,407 CV 6/09

10,115 CC 6/03

3-2-1

CC

6

77,605

12,934

13,782 NY 4/07

11,755 TFC 5/26

1-1-4

NY

6

64,372

10,729

15,546 KC 6/16

7,802 CR 5/13

4-1-1

KC

4

38,880

9,720

13,875 NY 6/02

7,426 CC 5/05

3-1-0

HG: Number of Home Games, HR: Home Record

Home Capacity

Team

Avg Attend

Capacity

Avg % of Cap

Stadium Type

TFC

19,988

20,500

97.5%

SSS

LA

22,721

27,000

84.2%

SSS

CR

14,568

18,086

80.5%

SSS

FCD

14,994

20,500

73.1%

SSS

CF

13,792

20,000

69.0%

SSS

CC

12,934

22,555

57.3%

SSS

CV

14,370

27,000

53.2%

SSS

HD

14,961

32,000

46.8%

CS

RSL

16,015

45,634

35.1%

CS

DC

17,640

56,692

31.1%

NFL

NE

15,889

68,756

23.1%

NFL

NY

10,729

80,242

13.4%

NFL

KC

9,720

79,451

12.2%

NFL

SSS: Soccer Specific Stadium, CS: College Stadium, NFL: NFL Stadium

Looking at these numbers compared to the ones three weeks ago a couple things pop out. First, New York and Kansas City might still be lurking at the bottom but their numbers have stepped up. Could it be people in these areas are starting to realize they have a good team to support? If so, this could be a big hit for Kansas City since they still have 11 home games this year.

The numbers from Toronto are outstanding. Any team that can reach the 90% mark is doing a wonderful job so what they have is really special.

New England's numbers are looking better but much of that has to do with piggy backing on other matches (such as Saturday's Gold Cup US-Panama outing). In games were the Revs were the only game of the day, their average attendance is 12,846.

Houston has seen their numbers drop but a big part of that was due with their Thursday (6/07) match which was up against a US match. Bad news for them, they are hosting another Thursday night match this week at the exact time of the second Gold Cup semi-final game (Mexico-Guadalupe). Perhaps that is way they are stressing that there will be four huge screens in the parking lot to view the Gold Cup games.

The biggest surprise of all is Chivas USA who has ridiculously low numbers even though they have the best home record of any MLS club. If you take away their 27,000 figure from the LA game, they would sit third from the bottom at 11,213.

Road Attendance

Team

AG

Total

Avg

AR

LA

4

76,502

19,126

0-2-2

DC

4

72,910

18,228

1-2-1

CV

5

90,768

18,154

1-3-1

KC

6

97,502

16,250

3-1-2

NY

6

94,712

15,785

2-2-2

NE

6

91,663

15,277

3-1-2

RSL

6

89,692

14,949

0-3-3

FCD

9

131,833

14,648

4-4-1

HD

5

73,062

14,612

2-3-0

CR

6

85,177

14,196

2-4-0

CF

6

84,528

14,088

1-4-1

CC

5

66,429

13,286

0-3-2

TFC

4

51,728

12,932

0-3-1

AG: Number of Away Games, AR: Away Record

Two things jump out at me with these numbers. First is how much better Chivas is received on the road. Not a big surprise but still interesting. Second is just how poorly a draw Toronto is. To be fair, they have not had any road games since I last did this list, so most of those games were before the team started winning. They are about to go on a six game road trip so we will soon see if they can reverse this trend.

So long Sarachan - Chicago fires coach

In a move that is not very shocking, the Chicago Fire dumped coach Dave Sarachan today. With the team going just 1-6-1 in their last eight and being outscored 17-7 in the process, the club's owners decided a change was needed.

Sarachan is only the second coach in the club's history. He took over after the 2002 season when former coach Bob Bradley left to take the reins of the then New York MetroStars. During his time he has a 55-50-31 record that included two US Open Cup titles (2003,2006), one Supporters' Shield (2003) and one appearance in the MLS Cup (2003).

The team has named Denis Hamlett as their interim coach. Their next MLS match is not till July 1 at home against Colorado, however they play a friendly Friday night against Cracovia.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

2007 MLS Week 11 Power Ratings

Week 11 saw a lot of goals as 5 of the 7 matches saw at least four balls go into the net, but still there was not a lot of movement in the league. I wasn't able to do my normal recap of weekend play, so I'll just roll it into these ratings. But first the numbers.

Here is the league by numbers 72 games into the season:

Season

Week 8

Attendance

1,106,478

124,268

Att per game

15,368

17,752

Goals

199

28

Goals per game

2.764

4.0

Inter-conference

East 12-7-8

East 1-0-0

Visitors

19-35-18

1-4-2

Ties

18 (25.0%)

2 (28.6%)

It was a bad week for visitors as only Dallas was able to pull out a victory in their first match of the week in Salt Lake. Here are the updated ratings.

1. Kansas City Wizards (Last week - 1) - They almost walked out of New York with full points without Eddie Johnson. They are holding it together and starting to find other offensive options. Keep it up a couple more weeks and maybe everyone will think you are for real this year.

2. New York Red Bull (2) -Way to come back but what has happened to New York's defense? During their first eight matches, they only gave up four goals but in their last four the opposition has found net 11 times. Yes Angel is a scoring machine but it means little if the back doesn't recover.

3. DC United (3) - The eagles keep screaming as their team continues to role. They are making teams pay for mistakes and taking back the midfield. Soon enough, this team will be back at the top.

4. Toronto FC (6) - The team is playing like they mean it. Every goal just makes them come together even more and with Mo Johnson make a number of smart trades, things are looking even better.

5. New England Revolution (4) - How can you let the Crew come back from two down to tie you up? This club is slumping by either not getting their offense into position or, if they do, doing it at the expense of their defense. The Revs are loose.

6. Houston Dynamo (7) - The Dynamo had the week of to cheer on the Canadian Dynamo, otherwise known as the Canadian National Team.

7. FC Dallas (5) - FCD lucked into a win at Salt Lake and spit on themselves in Toronto. The offense is not there, the midfield is sloppy and the defense leaks.

8. Chivas USA (9) - I feel like I keep beating up on Chivas. I mean how else can I explain the Goats being so low in the ratings while having the third highest points per game average in MLS (and best in the West)? I guess it is because they are weak on the road and require a huge number of chances before they make a team pay. If they could make more of what they are given or at least shine a few times on the road, they would be much higher.

9. Colorado Rapids (8) - Colorado keeps sliding. They are not creating anything and their defense is not communicating. Where is the side to side from earlier in the season?

10. Columbus Crew (10) - The result in New England is the high point of the season so far. The club showed a great resolve by calming themselves and coming out with a more attacking style in the second. If they can keep their goal scoring coming, they have scored 8 in their last 4 outings, and tighten up their defense just a bit, they might actual stand a chance.

11. Chicago Fire (10) - What can I say, mistakes were made. The Fire continued their poor run of play and don't seem to be doing much about it. At some point they will get Mapp back but he alone will not be enough.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy (12) - The fresh talent did give the Galaxy a better look and feel but they were still a weak side. However, this club at least has most of the elements in place to give them a chance to make a late run.

13. Real Salt Lake (13) - If there is one bit of good news Real can take from their defeat in LA, at least they didn't give up the game winner after the 85th minute. The team is falling apart.

One last bit for the week, our predictions. I went 3-3 for the weekend and 3-4 on the week while the wife had a real bad weekend at 1-5 but 2-5 on the week. The new totals for the season are:Me: 27-45Wife: 25-47

Saturday, June 16, 2007

US 2-1 Panama - US dominates but has holes - Player grades

USA 2-1 PanamaI've never seen a team dominate so much but look so scared in the process. Once they went up by two and Panama lost a player due to red card, most of the squad, much like a large part of the audience, seemed to tune out. They failed to clear balls and made amazingly poor passes that allowed Panama to sneak back into it.

The US got the win, but in doing so revealed again their problems with finishing and the connecting passes. Panama is the best team the Nats has face so far in the Gold Cup and they should be a little concerned about how the played. The defense had their moments but seemed very disorganized. Panama's goal was a keystone cops moment in the backfield.

The good news is the US is getting better at breaking down teams that try to play in a bunker against them. Goals:US: Landon Donovan (2) pk 59', Carlos Bocanegra (1) 63'Panama: Blas Perez (3) 84'

Here are the player grades:Starting XITim Howard (GK) - Made a couple big saves but needs to do more to direct the backline. There was nothing he could do to stop that goal. A-Jonathan Bornstein (D) - He was working hard in the corner and picked some pockets but also allowed a few too many balls to slip in. B-Carlos Bocanegra (D) - He got a goal but on defense he was caught out of position a number of times and didn't clear that well. B-Oguchi Onyewu (D) - The Gooch did a lot in this match and managed to find just the right touch to prevent fouls from going against him. He still got a yellow, but it was a bad call. He was the only part of the defense that didn't seem to shutdown in the final 15-minutes. A-Frankie Hejduk (D) - Bob Bradley wanted him to push forward and he did just that. Lots of long runs that added pressure but his work on defense was soft overall and towards the end he kept giving the ball away. BMichael Bradley (M) - He works well with the rest of the midfield but his passing was sour. C+Pablo Mastroeni (M) - He spring a number of balls but didn't take a lot away from Panama. BDaMarcus Beasley (M) - Another good game out of Beasley. He was pushing down the side and trying to set people up. Also, great work on dead balls. ALandon Donovan (M) - Landon was the spark for the team by doing both the big and little things. He still doesn't have a killer look at goal but it is getting closer. A Taylor Twellman (F) - He had a number of chances and could not finish them. Yes, the 'almosts' are getting closer but if he's not scoring... CClint Dempsey (F) - The was not his finest game but he still made some good moves to push the ball into position. Also, he is one of the main reasons Panama was screaming at the ref in frustration as he kept finding little pockets. A

SubsSteve Ralston (M) - On for Twellman in the 71st. I don't think it was his fault but once Ralston came on, the middle stopped winning balls and the tide began to change. He didn't have many chances to move the ball up and caused some confusion in front of his own box. B-Brian Ching (F) - On for Dempsey in the 84th. Not on for long, but did try to push forward. BRicardo Clark (M) - On for Donovan in the 89th. Again, not really on long enough to make a mark but did win a couple balls in his five minutes. Gentleman’s B

Next up for the US is Canada in the semifinal this Thursday at Soldier Field in Chicago (tickets).

US-Panama tied at the half

USA 0-0 PanamaHalftimeThe US is making their chances but is having trouble finishing. Add that to some horrible calls by ref Neal Drizan (how is Felipe Baloy still on the pitch?) and you have the nil-nil score line.

The red, white and blue have controlled most of the half but their passes are a little off and the defense has allowed Panama to slip through too many times. Have to hand it to Onyewu, he has looked much better even though he got an unjustified yellow card, but him and Bocanegra need to improve communication.

PanamaGK: Jaime PenedoD: Carlos Rivera, Luis Moreno, Amilcar Henriquez, Felipe BaloyM: Victor Herrera, Engin Mitre, Juan Perez, Ricardo Phillips, Manuel TorresF: Blas PerezLooks like Panama is going to try to force the issue in the middle. Mastroeni will have to have a good match to overcome all that Panama is going to throw at him.

This game will air love on Fox Soccer Channel (English), Univision (Spanish) or on the internet via text updates on the US Soccer MatchTracker.

Canada beats Guatemala to book trip to semifinals

Canada 3-0 GuatemalaCanada has knocked the Blue and White out of the Gold Cup in outstanding fashion. They ran that field and force Guatemala to play the games. To Guatemala's credit, they had some good moments but they didn't have the training or skill required due to their usual bunker style of play.

Canada's first touches looked better but their defense still allowed a number of chances to get through. They have a great midfield game so whomever they face in the semifinal is going to have a difficult time.

Canada 3-0 Guatemala at the half

Canada 3-0 GuatemalaHalftimeCanada is taking it Guatemala thanks to two goals by Ali Gerba and a third by DeRosario an own goal by Henry Alexander Medina. The cheeky foul calls are not going Guatemala's way. Canada looks to have this one completely under control as they are running the Guatemalans all over the pitch.

Gold Cup Quarterfinals Previews and Predictions

At long last the Concacaf Gold Cup is at the knockout phase is here. The eight teams playing this weekend are a great mix of what Concacaf has to offer. We have the regulars (USA, Mexico, Costa Rica), the up and comers (Canada, Honduras) and a little surprise (Guadeloupe). None of these games look like blowouts in the making so we should be in for a great couple days of soccer.

Panama vs. USASaturday - 4pmET/1pm PT - Foxborough, MassTV: Fox Soccer Channel (English), Envision (Spanish)Panama learned something against Mexico that I think they will use against the US, attack, attack, attack. Just sitting back and waiting for the pain is not a way to win a match against a big team because if you give them enough chances, they are going to beat you. Even with Panama missing some key players (including their captain Rolando Escobar), they have some strong skills in the midfield and some keen eyes on the attack. Also, they know how to beat defenders on the run thus either getting a shot or forcing a foul. The one weakness in their game is their backline as they often miss their marks.

The US will need a great day in the midfield to disrupt the Panamanian service, but they will also need their defense to stay close without over reaching. The US has given away some dangerous fouls in their final third, but has not yet paid for it. If they give Panama a few of those, it will be a long day for the Nats.

The offense for the red, white and blue is coming together. They still don't make the best use out of the set pieces (I think they only have one goal from a set piece so far), which could become a big factor if Panama does decide to bunker down, but they are getting better at setting each other up during the actual run of play. That said, the last game saw a number of good balls sent in by Beasley, but too often their were either not enough US players in the box or they were not in the correct position to connect.

Predicted lineup:GK: HowardD: Bornstein, Parkhurst, DeMerit, SimekM: Beasley, Clark, Feilhaber, RalstonF: Donovan, DempseyI would not start Gooch because he is riding a yellow card and Panama seems like a team that could easily get him another card. Also, I would go with Clark instead of Bradley in the middle because he pushes the ball forward better.

Predictions: Me Panama 0-2 US, Wife Panama 1-2 US

Canada vs. GuatemalaSaturday - 1pm ET/10am PT - Foxborough, MassTV: Telefutra (Spanish)There will be two very different styles of soccer on display in this one as Canada likes to play wide-open games while Guatemala does everything they can do to stop a soccer match from actually taking place. There is talent on Guatemala's team, but their bunker and foul while Carlos Ruiz takes a dive routine wastes it.

Talking about Ruiz, he is really the only offensive threat his side has, so if Canada control him and don't get frustrated by his total disrespect for the game he plays, they should be in good shape. However, Ruiz has this way of sneaking into space and pushing defenders off him. If he gets a ref who turns a blind eye to these sorts of things, he will cause some problems.

The Maple Leafs will need a great day from their double De's in the middle. DeGuzman and DeRosario will need to control the flow and prevent Guatemala from stopping every play at the half way line. Also, Canada's biggest weakness might end up coming in handy during this match. Many of their first touches are weak and often result in the ball getting away from players for a moment. Since Guatemala usually kneecaps players on their first touch, they might end up getting cards because the ball will not be there to provide an excuse for this fouls.

This one will get physical, but if Canada says calm, they will advance.Prediction: Me Canada 1-0 Guatemala, Wife Canada 2-1 Guatemala

Honduras vs. GuadeloupeSunday 3pm ET/12pm PT - Houston, TxTV: Telefutra (Spanish)Los Catrachos has got to be feeling great about their chances in this one. Guadeloupe had a wonderful first match, got a little lucky in the second and fell flat in their third as the team started looking exhausted. The one bit of good news is they have had five days off so they should be in a better place, but their depth is still lacking. To pull out a shock result, they will need to control the attacking duo of Carlos Pavón and Carlos Costly but I haven't seen anything in their defense that suggests such a result is possible.

It is always fun to cheer for the little guy and Guadeloupe, with a population of about 400,000, is the littlest of all, but sadly, I think Sunday will see them get crushed.Predictions: Honduras 3-1 Guadeloupe, Wife Honduras 1-2 Guadeloupe

Mexico vs. Costa RicaSunday 6pm ET/3pm PT - Houston, TxTV: Univision (Spanish)This might just be the game that decides coach Hugo Sanchez’s future. El Tri has looked bad through all three of the group matches and is very lucky to not be facing the USA today. Since they have a very talented squad one must wonder why they are not doing better. That's where Hugo pops in.

Costa Rica has been third best team in Concacaf for a number of years now but their age is starting to show. The flair and speed on the ball is not what it once was so the question is do they have enough for one more run? Los Ticos has the benefit of a Mexican side in disarray and missing a couple starters due to card accumulation. However, they will also have to face Oswaldo Sanchez in goal.

If Mexico's backline continues their resent tradition of leaving huge holes open, Costa Rica will get some great chances, but they will have to place them just right because Sanchez might not have a lot of class, but he can stop just about anything except perfectly placed shots.

Mexico will probably find a way to pull this one out but I think there is going to be one upset this weekend and it will happen in Houston.Prediction: Me Mexico 1-2 Costa Rica (in overtime), Wife Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica

The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semi-finals in Chicago on Thursday night. The winners from Foxborough will place each other followed by the winners from Houston.

Friday, June 15, 2007

2007 MLS Week 11 Predictions

Week 11 of the MLS season is still happening under the shade of the Gold Cup, however the league managed to schedule all there games in such a way that none of them will happen during the quarterfinals. It seems odd to have to salute such a no brainier idea, but still, good job.

This weekend is all about the fight within the conferences as there is only one inter-conference match up.

SaturdayColumbus Crew (1-4-5) vs. New England Revolution (5-2-3)6:30pm ET/3:30pm PTTv: Fox Soccer Channel (30-min pre and post shows), FSECan the Crew find some offense and not kill themselves? Will the Revs be able to pull it together against an 'easy' team? New England has had trouble against lowly teams this season, but the Crew has been a mess. There should be a strong atmosphere (the US Gold Cup game takes place right before this), so that should be enough to send NE over the top.Predictions: Me CC 0-2 NE, Wife CC 1-3 NE

Chicago Fire (4-5-2) vs. DC United (4-3-2)7:30pm ET/4:30pm PTTV: HDNetWill the Fire have enough players to field a team? Can DC continue their amazing run? A lesser question, will the ladies still show up without Boswell in the lineup? These two teams are tied on points but are in very different situations. The Fire can tie nothing together on the pitch and are counting on young players to make things happen while DC is opening up their offense while keeping the back safe. This should be a good day for United.Predictions: ME CF 1-3 DC, Wife CF 2-3 DC

Kansas City Wizards (6-2-1) vs. New York Red Bulls (6-3-2)7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PTTV: Direct KickInternet: MLStvWill Sealy stand up for KC? Can NY regain their defensive posture? Nothing like a big battle for the top of the East. KC is the team that started the Bulls current poor run of play, so NY will be looking for some payback. DC exposed the problems NY has with diagonal runs but will the Wizards have the offensive strength to exploit it?Predictions: ME KC 0-2 NY, Wife KC 0-2 NY

Colorado Rapids (4-4-3) vs. Chivas USA (4-3-2)10:30pm ET/ 7:30pm PTTV: DKInternet: MLStvWill the Rapids finally play an interesting game of soccer? Can Chivas make something happen with less then ten attempts? Colorado is a team that gets results in such an ugly way that it can be frustrating to watch while Chivas take forever to make teams pay for mistakes. The goats are strong at home and should be able to topple the Rapids, but Colorado will make it difficult.Predictions: CR 0-1 CV, CR 2-1 CV

SundayFC Dallas (7-5-1) vs. Toronto FC (3-6-1)1pm ET/ 10am PTTV: TeleFutura, CBCCan Dallas win another one on the road? Will TFC regain their home foothold after the problems with New York? FCD played a good game against Real last night, but even after controlling much of the match, needed a late, late, late goal to take the points. Toronto will not allow such a thing.Predictions: ME FCD 0-2 TFC, Wife FCD 2-1 TFC

Real Salt Lake (0-4-6) vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (1-4-3)8pm ET/5pm PTTV: DKInternet: MLStvWill Real give up yet another goal after the 85th minute? If the Galaxy can't beat RSL, whom can they beat? The battle for the bottom is here. Real didn't look that good against Dallas, but they were able to hold, that is till the second minute of stoppage time. Goals like that along with a coach getting red-carded can real spell doom for a team. However, LA is the walking definition of doom. They will get some help from Tyrone Marshall and Abel Xavier, but will it be enough to finally set the team right?Predictions: Me RSL 1-1 LA, Wife RSL 0-3 LA